LOGGING IN NORTH-WEST AMERICA. 155 



The high-lead system is largely employed in hauling the logs 

 to the railside, where they are usually loaded on to the cars 

 at once, and when the train is made up it is pulled out and 

 a new line of empty cars put in its place. By this method, 

 spar trees (Fig. 7) are left at distances of 1000-1200 feet apart 

 and about 12-15 ^^^^ from the logging railroad; this gives a 

 working radius of 500-600 feet. This is considered to be the 

 most economical distance, as it keeps the various crews busy. 



The spar trees are prepared by the rigging crew. The chief 

 rigger climbs the tree by means of long spurred climbing irons 

 and a rope belt, into the core of which a thin wire strand is 

 woven to prevent accidents. Men have been killed by cutting 

 the rope when taking off the top. After he has reached the 

 desired height of say 120-200 feet, the rigger lops off the tree top 

 with axe and saw. Of late this is being done in some camps by 

 stringing together and placing several sticks of dynamite around 

 the tree top, and firing the charge by means of a detonating 

 cap attached to a long fuse. This method is only in the 

 experimental stage. 



To give rigidity to the spar tree 6 guys (cables) are placed 

 near the top and 3 near the middle. A high-lead block weighing 

 from 500-900 lbs. is then hung 5-15 feet below the cable guys, 

 and is fixed to the spar tree by means of a i|-2-inch plough steel 

 strap, wrapped once or twice around the spar tree. The loading 

 tackle is also put up before the rigger comes down. 



Two donkey engines are used, one for yarding (skidding), 

 the other for loading ; both operations proceed at the same 

 time. In some camps duplex engines (see Fig. 6) are used, 

 i.e. both engines are operated from one sled or platform ; 

 needless to say the sleds are massive affairs. These engines 

 have heavy work to do. They have to haul and load logs often 

 10 feet in diameter and 32 feet or more in length over very 

 rough country. They are equipped with high-pressure boilers 

 of the vertical type, and have a working-pressure of from 150- 

 200 lbs. (usually 200 lbs.) per square inch. Two main drums 

 and usually, but not always, -a third small drum are placed 

 tandem fashion on the sled ; the large drums carry the main 

 hauling line and the trip line (haul-back). The third drum 

 carries the straw line, which is used to run out the trip line 

 or haul-back either when a new setting is being made or when 

 roads are being changed. The engines are classified as simple 



